I apologize for the lapse in blog posts. It has been a rough and busy couple of weeks and not only has my writing suffered, but so has my reading. Besides the political upheaval of the past week, my last remaining grandparent also passed away last week. On the way to my Grandma's funeral I began to feel ill and by that evening was in full-blown illness.Within 24 hours my voice was completely gone. Although, I think it is just a cold, it has left me feeling utterly drained. Add to that our annual trip to the Renaissance Festival and adoption stuff and there just isn't enough time or energy to do anything.

Now, I love to read and have used it as an escape for a long time, but when life gets super hairy, it is usually the first thing to go. Not because I don't enjoy it, but because I want to actually enjoy it without distractions. Nothing makes me happier than to sit on my porch in the fall with some hot tea, a blanket, and a good book. But if I don't have the time to do that, if all I can steal is a few minutes on the toilet or during lunch, I find myself shying away from it. I don't want to read with snatches of time.

Also, I am not sure what the future holds for this blog. Not that I want to quit writing here, but we are anywhere between weeks and months from getting a teenager in our home with the endgame being adoption. Additionally, I am planning on doing a bit more volunteering, hopefully with refugees. It's my answer to this insanity. My life is about to get a whole lot busier and I will be reevaluating things as they change.

When Little Bot is thrown out with the garbage, he finds himself in a strange new world. Fortunately, Sparrow is there to take him under her wing. Together, they explore the forest, share adventures, and learn what it means to be forever friends.An odd little story with a big heart, Little Bot is one very confused and sad robot. I liked that Little Bot never meets a human, but rather experiences the world through the eyes of a bird. The illustrations are the real draw here though. Soft and beautitful, Parker makes great use of the spreads, pulling the reader in. A lovely story of friendship that is perfect for little ones on the lower age range of picture books.

Remember Bruce? The grumpy bear who ended up adopting a gaggle of geese? Well, Bruce is still grumpy, but he is also a dutiful parent and so he migrates with his goslings every winter, when he really should be hibernating. Bruce is tired. Which is why he is so upset when he returns home to find the mice have turned his home into a hotel. At first he just growls and grumbles, but when things get really crazy, Bruce flat out demands his home back.

I really love these books. Bruce has such a great personality, this grumpy bear with a not-so-secret heart of gold. Any bear who goes south for the winter with his geese children definitely deserves a medal. There is also a lot going on in these pictures. Just like in the first book there are so many wonderful little moments on every page. So much chaos. Beautiful fun chaos. A great sequel to Mother Bruce, kids are going to love this one.

In the beginning Ada was slow to talk, but once she started, she was full of questions. Why are there pointy things stuck to a rose? Why are there hairs growing inside your nose? Ada sees problems that need solutions at every turn. Everything is question just waiting to be answered and so, using the scientific method, Ada performs her experiments and gets in a bit of trouble too.

Another wonderful book by Andrea Beaty that champions both diversity and girls in science. Ada is like so many young children, full of questions and burning with curiosity. I also love Ada's family, who is mystified at first, but supportive in the way that every budding scientist needs. This is such a wonderful book with such a broad audience. I kind of which I had read this before I bought all my nieces and nephews their birthday presents.

Varmint by Andy HirschPublisher: First SecondRelease Date: September 26, 2016

After Opie and Ned's mother is murdered, the two youngsters set off to look for their Pa and the man who shot her. They aren't exactly the mos dynamic duo though, with Ned being overly friendly and the two constantly bickering. Together they get themselves in a heap of trouble from horse thievery (er....borrowing) to exploding trains.

This graphic novel is a slow build chapter by chapter going from simply horse rustling to a booby trapped crime kingpin in a mountain. The pacing is even throughout, which is important since this is definitely a plot-driven story. In fact, Hirsh spent so much time creating an event plot that the characters were neglected. Opie and Ned are like funny slapstick characters, entertaining, but lack in much substance. They certainly get into a good deal of trouble, but what I wanted was more backstory and a bit more emotional depth. So that, in the end, I wasn't just happy for them, but wanted more of them. The secondary characters are even less fleshed-out and I would love for someone to explain to me the big giant bear man.

One thing that did draw me out continually were the rather adult jokes, which were completely unexpected in a graphic novel for 3-6 graders. They were mostly innuendos, but the fact that they existed was the surprising bit. To the point that when Opie meets a lady at a large hotel/saloon and the lady suggests she has a job for Opie, I seriously thought they would "go there". Finally, my biggest issue was the confusing ending. Too many people named Pa. Killers named Pa. Pa's that aren't Pa. I had to read it twice to make it make sense.

Final verdict, a rolling romp through the Old West where hijinks ensue, but you probably won't want to read another if you didn't manage to connect to one of the characters by the end.

Hank's Big Day: A Story of a Bug by Evan KuhlmanPublisher: Schwartz & WadeRelease Date: September 13, 2016

Hank is a little pill bug with a rather busy life. His daily routine includes nibbling a dead leaf, climbing a long stick, avoiding a skateboarding, and pretending with his best friend, a human girl named Amelia.

Anthropomorphizing a roly poly (it's what we called pill bugs when I was a kid) is a new type of bug perspective I haven't seen before. It's a simply story, great for little preschoolers who have a fascination with bugs. I loved Amelia's little aviator hat which felt like a hat tip (haha hat tip) to Amelia Earhart. This is a great read aloud that would work well for a story time although obviously any craft ideas should not include real pill bugs. For the parent's sakes.

Six Dots: A Story of Young Louis Braille by Jen BryantPublisher: Knopf Books for Young ReadersRelease Date: September 6, 2016

An inspiring biography about Louise Braille, the inventor of an alphabet for the blind. There were quite a few interesting things in this story that I had not previously been aware of. For example: The dots had originally been part of a communication system used by the French Army. He used that system to come up with his own alphabet. Also, there were books for the blind that existed before Braille invented his system, but one word often took up an entire page as they had to be large enough for the student's to run their fingers across.

My only major complaint is that the publisher did not have any raised braille in the entire book. This seems like a travesty in a book about the man who invented it. Also, as someone who works in production, I do know the cost of dotting the paper or adding spot gloss to the end pages and I feel like it was a missed opportunity that would have raised the printing cost of the book, but would have been worth it.

A Child of Books by Oliver JeffersPublisher: Candlewick PressRelease Date: September 6, 2016

I am a child of books. I come form a world of stories. A little girl sails her raft across a literal sea of words and goes on an adventure into a world of stories and words.

An absolutely beautiful book that uses typography like arc, interlacing words into mountains, oceans, and trees. There is a loose plot, but this is a story mostly about the power of books on the imagination and the places that words can take you. Beautifully done, I expect to see this book earn a few accolades and I am a bit curious how young readers will respond to it.

Life is hard in the outer realms, but Solara Brooks believes it is her only chance at a normal life. Just out of the orphanage and with fresh felony tattoos on her knuckles, Solara indenture's herself to the selfish prick Doran Spaulding who spent years making her life miserable. When he discovers her tattoos and wants to abandon her on a space station in the middle of nowhere, Solara does the only thing she can think of, she knocks out his memory, kidnaps him, and boards the first vessel heading towards the outer realms. Once Doran regains his memory, he is understandably angry, but it turns out he has a lot more to worry about than a tattooed runaway. In Doran's absence it seems he has been framed for conspiracy and Solara may have actually saved his life. As the months pass on the run, Solara and Doran go from enemies to friends and then something more. But neither are prepared for life as fugitives in space.

As far as plot goes, this book was fairly interesting. Two characters on the run,joining up with a run-down spaceship full of interesting characters who are willing to help for the right price. A run in with pirates that turns into all kinds of a mess. And a conspiracy that runs deeper and darker than Doran could possibly imagine.

I also like the idea that felons are tattooed with their felonies on their knuckles, making it almost impossible to go unnoticed for any period of time. Solara's felony remains a bit of a mystery until about halfway through and once you discover what it is, it seems almost unfair that she must live with these marks. The outer realms it turns out are not the wild west that Solara had been imagining and she is forced to face the reality of what life would be like on a planet. Starvation, prostitution, and slavery all beings things that would probably await a girl like her, no matter how street smart she is.

Doran's life however relies on a lot more stereotypes and Landers doesn't bother to do as much world building for him because we all know what rich assholes are like, right? Of course, it turns out that when you take a rich asshole and put him in a spaceship with unusual characters and a spunky felon, one magically transforms into an awesome lover boy. I don't buy it. In the story, they explain this switch as Doran just being hurt that his mother abandoned him when he was younger and that is why he wasn't nice. But here's the thing, this is a guy who spent years making Solara's life miserable. Absolutely miserable and he showed not a single ounce of remorse until Solara told him some of her sob story. As if his actions were justified by her being less than. And even when they got older, he continued to treat her like crap. He was going to abandon this girl on a space station knowing she was penniless and would probably have to sell herself as a prostitute to get off, and he didn't care. He didn't care! All because he was upset that she wouldn't show him her tattoo convictions. As if he deserved that somehow. The later explanation was supposed to make up for that. It didn't. Sure, Doran changes in the book, but I found the whole character arc to be completely absurd. Not that I don't think bullies can't change, but I wasn't convinced by Doran's change and that's what matters here.

Solara's character arc was a bit more believable. As someone who has been bullied though, I can promise that one of the most unattractive things in the world, no matter how handsome the guy is, is a guy who is a jerk.

Samson in the Snow by Philip C. Stead Publisher: Roaring Brook PressRelease Date: September 27, 2016One sunny day Samson, a large and friendly woolly mammoth, encounters a little red bird who is looking for yellow flowers for her mouse friend (whose favorite color is yellow). As she flies off with the flowers, Samson wonders what it must be like to have a friend. He wonders this for so long, in fact, that he falls asleep and wakes up to a world covered in snow. In the midst of a blizzard, Samson finds and shelters the little red bird and flower-loving mouse in a tender tale of kindness and unexpected friendship.A gorgeous picture book with a simple story that felt a bit meandering, but the illustrations more than made up for it. The pencil animals stood out against the chalk-like backgrounds with pops of color that were integral to the plot. I am quite interested in the artistic process with this one and will be on the lookout for interviews or videos that cover this. If you follow me on Twitter, expect to see something about it if it exists.

Grandmother just wants to be left alone. And so she leaves her tiny home full of a very big family and searches for a place where she can finish her knitting. Turns out, there are a lot of places that it is unsuitable to knit.

Despite this book being almost trope, grumpy old person who just wants to be left alone, I thought it was unique in the places she found herself. Obviously this is a spoiler, but in the end, the best place to knit is in the void. Literally, nowhere. How else are you going to knit dozens of sweaters. This book does fall into the category of will-a-kid-like-it? I'm sure there are kids who will, but this book seems to be an eye wink to adults who can't get stuff done because of the kids. Even so, it is funny and the illustrations are quit wonderful. And if the adults in a kid's life are knitters, they may get it too.

The Water Princess by Susan VerdeIllustrations by Peter ReynoldsPublisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young ReadersRelease Date: September 13, 2016

Water. A precious commodity for some. In Princess Gie Gie's kingdom, clean drinking water is scarce and she and her mother must walk hours to get it. Each morning she rises and makes the long journey, carrying a heavy pot on her head. Each day she dreams of living in a place where water is around the corner and is crystal-clear.

I love books like this. Books that show young children the realities of how other children live in other places. That introduce concepts that will make them think and perhaps even act. The tragedy of not having clean drinking water nearby, of not having clean water, affects everything in a child's life. I am assuming that the children who read this book will never know this tragedy, but there are things they can do. Many organizations exist that help to dig wells and create easier ways for people to get water in their villages. Even something as simple as a rolling barrel with a handle reduces the amount of time it takes to get the water. Although I think parents can do a lot with a book like this, I'm not entirely sure how a school or library would use it and would hope that it would be used in conjunction with some kind of fundraising effort.

In this sequel to Tin Star, readers are reacquainted with Tula Bane, still stuck on the space station Yertina Feray and desperate for revenge. She now runs a small cafe and bides her time, certain that her opportunity will come to destroy Brother Blue. Things quickly turn sour though when the nearby abandoned planet that they orbit is found to have high quantities of a precious resource. Soon the government is breathing down her neck, as is Brother Blue, and she finds herself on the run. She knows that Brother Blue is a liar, but exposing him could put every human at risk. Yet, not exposing him will place every human in space in grave peril.

It is difficult to review a sequel without giving too much away if you have not read the first. I will try though. Tula Bane is a great character. Strong, smart, and brave. She has learned how to be "street smart" and careful, but even so, there is only so much one can do and Tula does make some mistakes. I loved seeing her off the space station and out in this magnificent universe that Castellucci has created. The aliens are alien. The intrigue is dangerous. And the peril is real. This has to be one of my favorite YA sci-fi series. The romance, which most of my readers know usually drives me nuts, was believable and dare I say, good. Tula struggles with what it means to be a human and what it means to listen to your heart. You definitely need to read book one first, but readers won't regret delving back into this world with the second book. My only regret? That it took me so long to read it.

How This Book Was Made by Mac BarnettIllustrations by Adam RexPublisher: Disney-HyperionRelease Date: September 6, 2016

Ever wondered about the process of making a book? Well, this picture book covers the process from the initial idea to being printed on a printing press to being read by a reader. As someone who works in publishing, I am always trying to explain my part in the process of bookmaking. It should be no surprise then that I absolutely adore this book. Yet another fun and absurd book from Barnett and Rex that succinctly explains the book making process to kids. It also answers many of the questions I hear kids ask at book events like Where do you get you ideas from? and How many drafts did you write? It also addresses some of the "secrets" behind publishing like where books are printed and how they are transported. Of course, it is a picture book so it can't include every little step, but it is a nice overview. It also a book that I think I will be adding to my bookshelf so the next time someone asks how a book is made, I can hand them this book with a smile.

They All Saw a Cat by Brendan WenzelPublisher: Chronicle BooksRelease Date: August 30, 2016The cat walked through the world, with its whiskers, ears, and paws . . .as he walks he runs across many different animals who see him in a multitude of perspectives.

Although a bit heavy-handed I loved this book's message that everyone and everything sees life differently. This may be because we have different kinds of eyes, or the thing we see is scary, or it looks different depending on your size. Young children are constantly trying to make sense of the world and understand it from their limited perspectives. For example: Children may be scared of someone who is rather tall, because to them someone who is 6'4 is a giant. The illustrations were lovely impressionist examples of the different looks that a cat could have. I especially love the spread from the mouse's vantage point. A lovely book for toddlers and one that would lend itself well to storytimes.

The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles lives atop a hill, alone but with a very important job, to deliver the messages that arrive on his shore. He loves this job, although is a bit sad that he will never receive a message of his own. Then one day a message arrives without an address or a name. It is undeliverable and yet it is this message that allows him to make new friends. In essence, the message become his.

I have a hard time with books illustrated by Erin E. Stead. On the one hand, they are absolutely beautiful with soft colors that lend themselves well to the content. On the other, it seems that the kinds of books she writes and/or illustrates have a tendency to be these rather esoteric picture books that are sure to appeal to more adults than children. They'll be recognized for how pretty they are and the story, or lack thereof, falls to the wayside. This story was, in essence boring. Not a good thing for a short picture book to be. The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles is a rather boring grown man who has no name, is unrelateable, and for reasons unknown has the very unimportant job of getting messages from bottles to their recipients. I love the idea of messages in a bottle, but I'm not sure that I care at all weather it gets to the intended person as those messages feel more like tying a note to a balloon. The intended recipient is the one who picks it up. The only children in the story show up halfway through, which is another reason why I think this book is not for children. And I think a lot of gatekeepers (aka the adults publishing and distributing this book) forget that sometimes. As it stands, it will probably win some kind of award and end up on many bookshelves, because beautiful picture books about boring people play to adult sensibilities rather than farting ponies or cakes that talk.

Catrina is not particularly happy about moving to North California, to a town that only sees sunlight 63 days out of the year. Even though she knows it is to help her sister Maya who has cystic fibrosis and needs the good ocean air to help her breathe better, Catrina just can't work up any excitement about her new home. To make matters worse, everyone in this town is obsessed with ghosts. The reason she discovers, is because Bahía de la Luna is peppered with ghosts. Maya is determined to meet one, but Catrina is worried about the ghost's intentions and what they might think of her little sister who always seem to have one foot in death's door. As the Day of the Dead approaches Cat must figure out how to deal with her fears and allow her sister to face hers too. Raina Telgemeir certainly knows how to write sisters. All of her books have always had such great familial bonds, making for some wonderful characters. Something unique in this book is the supernatural element. Telgemeir's other books have been either autobiographical (Sisters, Smile) or at least felt that way (Drama), so it was a bit surprising that the ghosts in this story turned out to be real. At first, this felt a bit jarring, but as the reader becomes more and more emotionally invested in the characters, it becomes an important aspect of the book. I loved that the ghosts are not just a means to discuss death and the possibility of it happening to Maya, but also about familial connections and alleviating fear. This was not my favorite of Telgemeir's books though. Although Cat is the main character in the book, her surliness and complete rudeness to the boy next door really made me dislike her. I loved her little sister and some of the secondary characters, but could never fully connect with Cat. This probably has more to do with my own personal relateability though and I think there are a number of young readers out there who would relate to her.

Quit Calling Me a Monster! by Jory JohnIllustrations by Bob SheaPublisher: Random House Books for Young ReadersRelease Date: August 23, 2016

Floyd Peterson is so much more than shaggy purple fur and pointy monster teeth — why can’t people just see him for him?

This book had so much potential. Labels and names are things that we often deal with in our society. It sucks to be called or lumped into a group that you don't like or don't want to be a part of. It is also a normal human reaction to want to categorize people. Children are doing this almost subconsciously, trying to make sense of this strange world they are a part of. When first introduced, this monster insists that he is not, in fact, a monster. That label doesn't fit him. Except it does. The illustrations quickly show you that this is a rather unreliable narrator who, despite his protestations, really is a monster. He is the standard definition of a monster and fully deserves the label. This did make the book funny, but I so desperately wanted there to be a twist in the end. Where we discover that despite meeting almost all the definitions he doesn't actually scare children, only eats other monsters, or has a propensity towards giving candy to the kids he scares. Instead, this is a story about a monster, who claims he isn't, but actually is. It is a cute Halloween book, but it could have been so much more. The real problem is that the book promised to be more and wasn't. If you want to talk about stereotyping and bucking stereotypes then the "monster" has to actually buck those stereotypes. He can't just have a normal-ish name and dislike being labeled, he needs to actually change the stereotype. Imagine if this story was about a person who didn't like being called ghetto or white trash, but then perfectly defined all of your expectations of those terms. No one would be okay with that. Just because it is a monster does not give it a pass.

A boy inventor creates the ultimate in high-tech superheroes that could one day save the world. These NanoBots are super tiny. They're almost too small to see and each one does something different, from medicine to carpet munchers and everything in-between. They are high-tech friends of the future that would make life so much easier for humans.

I don't understand this book. Is it a story about fantastical robots or is it trying to be a bit science-y and introduce the basic concepts of nanobots? Since some of the robots are quite ridiculous, one imagines the first, but is written more like non-fiction. This is the book's primarily problem. The illustrations and subject matter would appeal to the usual preschool audience, but due to the amount of text, it felt rather long. Even I, a grown adult, grew bored. That said, this book does have some practical applications and would certainly work well for any kind of introduction to robots and making your own robots. Obviously, one would need to supplement greatly and explain that these kinds of robots are cool, but don't exist, but it may work to open up the imagination to the many different robotic possibilities.

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About Me

Venus is a pre-published author holding a BA in Writing, Literature, and Publishing from Emerson College and a MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults from Hamline University. She is rather obsessed with good writing, science fiction, the hero's journey, epic fantasies, and Indian food.